patchouli promises

the subtle scent of patchouli
returns me to languid summer days
reminding me of the ways
the sun shimmered
through my hair.

my bright red chevy (bella)
held pieces of passion
in her brazen cherry paint.
she hugged those curves
the way i held the world.

the sounds of the grateful dead
wafted through camellia-essenced air…

and i found pieces of my soul there.

there in that delicate delirium between
woman
and child
(that beautiful balance between
latent
and wild)

bob marley and phish
were my drugs of preference
(i was high on the essence
and heat of the sun)
as it bounced off bella
and reminded me
(i am still so young).

that ibanez guitar
(so beautiful and blue)
taught my fingers how to feel
and my heart how to hear
-the music in my soul-
was so authentic and clear.

if i could return to those
hazy, lazy
liquid summer days...
i would taste the deliciousness
of my lovely, naive smile.

and i could believe in
the sunshine
for just... a little... while.

Reviews

[The Language of Birds]

Hello Kara,

Great poem!

I love the alliteration of the title, and I can smell it too. What a perfect point of entry.

In fact, this poem is packed with sensory detail. You have fully engaged me in this fantastic piece from beginning to end. You are also able to tread away from an overly sentimental wistfulness for the innocent past. Instead, this poem matches you in your desire (mentioned in your bio) It is as true as your blue Ibanez guitar.

Way to go.

Jim C-D

[Justin Carlson]

Wow, I love this poem. It is so poignant and beautiful. The ache over the loss of innocence is felt in a very real, yet not cynical, way. It flows beautifully and I love what you did with the formatting, the parenthesis are well placed, like after-thoughts half-formed.

Again, well done!

[Antony]

Kara, how often we return to those memories we loved and cherish. One thing for sure, we can never change them, but we can make new memories, good ones. Like Nihad, I like the word liquid; being used to portray a carefree life style. I can picture you and this whole thing happening. Nice as usual. You always have the right words.
Tony

[Nihad Dweidary]

This is about the good ol' days. This absolutely perfect. Perfect. I not only love this poem. I adore its every syllable.

she hugged those curves
the way i held the world.

Amazing how an old car can bring back to mind memories of moments one just adored. The awakening of old (but not forgotten senses in this poem gets me. The first time you experience something is proabably the best time. And then it becomes a memory. We try to shelve it in the mind and keep it warm for as long as we can.

if i could return to those
hazy, lazy
liquid summer days...
i would taste the deliciousness
of my lovely, naive smile.

Love the word liquid here. It portrays the lack of forced restriction and the sense of "carefreeness." Ahhhhh! This poem is a splendid tour de force. Love it. Love it. I can't say it enough times.

By the way, I miss my Belle, too. It was a 1987 silver Mercedes Benz. I am not joking. ;-)

Love, -Nihad

[David P. Eckert]

The time of youth, evocatively captured through the scents and the music of those days. Wishing to go back to a time - between - after childhood and before adulthood - a time we look back on with smiles and sighs. Masterfully written.

[Steven Silvey]

"bob marley and phish
were my drugs of preference
(i was high on the essence
and heat of the sun)"

This was a very good piece I enjoyed the whole thing mucho.

[Luke Brooks]

Wonderful. Going in my library for sure.

bob marley and phish
were my drugs of preference

Pure brilliance.

and i found pieces of my soul there.

I loved it. Beautiful.

[C0ffee_n_cigarettes]

simply beautiful :)

[C.J. Klein]

O my - was this ever a breath of summer sunshiney, barefoot in the grass nostalgia! So lovely. Would you believe that the during years 1990-1994 i basically lived out of my subaru wagon at show after show after show - selling tapestries, candles and jewelry... O how I miss those days sometimes. Drumming circles, dancing to Sugar Magnolia, turning on that love light, Wanting to hug Jerry, Chalk dust torture collecting on my tongue, whirling to Fee, yanking up my tunic and dangling my stash... Ill tell you, this was sweet reminisce. ( And I still wear my patchouli blended with orange blossom and ginger oil )

I adored this.

~ Caroline ~

[Yira Simone]

Simply beautiful...what more can I say?-Catrina

[Shane Rendon]

I feel it, totally... I love how beautiful your poetry always feels. All the wonderful beautiful things in the world never go unaccounted.